100

DAYS

UNTIL

CHRISTMAS!!!!

Christmas..

This is on my mind a lot lately. A LOT.


We will have Christmas at our house again this year. It was decided for me, on Thursday, right after I was told my sister is having Thanksgiving at her house. I love this. I love the hustle and bustle of Christams Day at our house. I love everyone coming over and being relaxed enough to nap when they feel like it and play the Wii or XBOX360. I love that everyone helps themselves to whatever, whenever they want and it is supremely easy. I love to overly decorate my house and overly feed everyone that walks through my front door. I love that everyone knows we always have prime rib with garlic/cream cheese mashed potatoes and that is that. Our main course never changes, just all the goodies that surround it.



I love that Tommy is already talking about my decorating our house. He has come to terms with it over the years. I think he might actually like the 6 or 7 trees I put up for the holidays. What is Christmas without a blue tree for the boys and a pink tree for the girls? I love love that Pudgie will be eyeing the trees and talking about Santa and hopefully dreaming about reindeer and Frosty and Hot chocolate.



I hate that I have been second guessing MY Christmas ideas. I have always known the meaning of Christmas and am trying to pass those meanings on to the kids. I think they are getting the spirit of Christmas and understand that it is about giving... but when you are 7 and 8, unless you force the issue, they really just want to "get" presents. That is ok for now. It will come. I am sure of that.



So, I have been reading blogs about simplifying Christmas, doing things one way or another and changing the way you ultimately, deal with, and, "do," your holiday. I thought maybe I should streamline my way of doing Christmas. Change it up, make it easier. Then I realized... my way of doing Christmas is not crazy or hectic to me. I love the way I shop after Christmas, for gifts, for the next year. I love that I think about things in March that would ultimately be something awesome for someone I love... and tuck it away in my closet.



I kinda enjoy some of the last minute run around things. It keeps me on my toes and lets me get out from under the house and the kids and makes me laugh when I watch other people out frantically shopping.



Growing up, we had a tree that was always overflowing with presents. I remember waking up to sparkle and glitter and magic. Somewhere I think a lot of people have lost the MAGIC that is Christmas. Looking back, I see that I have picked up some of the traits my mom used when wrapping presents. It is amazing how an outfit of pants, shirt, shoes, etc. becomes 10 presents. I do that to this day. I will continue that. That is just me. That is how I like it. That is what makes me love Christmas. Three trees that are overflowing with presents that we are giving to those that we love and a house that anyone can knock on our front door and come in and have a wonderful Christmas dinner. Usually, for those that show up unannounced, we even have Christmas presents for them as well.


I need to stop wondering if what I am doing needs to change or conform or whatever. Our Christmas works for us. We love it. We won't change it. It wouldn't be a Jensen Christmas if we did!!!

I'VE BECOME....

MY MOTHER. YES, IT IS TRUE..... TODAY, WHILE DOING SOME SPRING (PRE-SQUAD PARTY) CLEANING...BRINKLEY FOUND ONE OF PUDGIES CHRISTMAS PRESENTS THAT I HAD HIDDEN A LITTLE TOO WELL LAST YEAR. GOTTA CHECK BEHIND THE CURTAINS IN OUR BEDROOM MORE OFTEN!